1.Die Gattung Townsonia Cheesem.

By R. Schlechter. (Abstract from Fedde, Repertorium ix, pp. 249–250; 1911).

The genus Townsonia was originally published by T. F. Cheeseman in 1906 in the “Manual of the New Zealand Flora” (p. 691), and was placed in the vicinity of Adenochilus Hook. f. When Dr. Schlechter undertook a new arrangement of the Poly-chondreae (equivalent to the Neottieae of other authors) he was unable, through the absence of specimens, to decide on the exact relationships of the genus. Having received a copious suite from its describer, he has now been able to study it in detail He has arrived at the conclusion that it is best placed between Acianthus R. Br., which is found in Australia and New Caledonia as well as in New Zealand, and Stigmatodactylus Maxim., which has three species in Japan, India, and Java respectively. At the same time, there is an undoubtedly strong resemblance to the subfamily Caladeniinae in the broadly winged column, a character which is not found in Acianthus and allied genera. On the other hand, the smooth labellum, devoid of any projections or protuberances beyond two obscure ridges at the base, and the habit of the plant, point towards the Acianthineae. A remarkable character, which is not shown by any Acianthus, is that the flowering-stems often produce offshoots which bear solitary radical leaves. The petals are much reduced in size, but this peculiarity is approached by some of the New Caledonian species of Acianthus, although not carried to the same extent. The elongated finger-like rostellum much resembles that of Stigmatodactylus.

As soon as specimens of Townsonia were examined, it was noticed that it was closely allied to Acianthus viridis Hook. f. from Tasmania. This led to a careful examination of the Tasmanian plant, which resulted in proving that it also was a genuine Townsoma, closely allied to but clearly distinct from the original T. deflexa. Townsonia will therefore rank as a typical austral-antarctic genus, with one species—T. deflexa Cheesem.—confined to the South Island of New Zealand, the other—T. viridis (Hook. f.) Schlechter—endemic in Tasmania.

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